A Set Apart School Year -Pt.2

My mom is a very adventurous cook. She loves finding and creating new spices, sauces, and flavor combinations.  I gladly accept the position of taste tester awaiting a new taste bud sensation. Sometimes she shoves a spoon in my mouth or a jar in my hand and says, "Taste this." Sometimes, however, she gives me something and says, "Taste this and tell me what's missing". The bible says, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!"  I definitely got a good taste yesterday as He dropped that word about it being a set apart school year (read that blog here).  But I also got the feeling that the message wasn't fully complete...

tell me what's missing... tugged at me as I typed.

Experiencing a set apart school year is an awesome thing, one that I personally experienced last year after several years of teaching trauma that nearly pushed me mentally, spiritually, and physically out of the ministry of teaching.  Yes, what we do is a ministry as we co-labor with Christ to advance His Kingdom into the field of education (see 1Corinthians 3:9).  Broken hearts, broken homes, and our broken educational system needs men and women who operate in the power and authority Jesus gave to us.  But how does one get to that kind of school year in the midst of the current state of education? What's missing? 

For one to experience a set apart year, there must first exists something in which God want you to be or experience a marked difference from. Do you remember how God told Pharaoh that the Children of Israel wouldn't have to deal with the upcoming plague and from that point on, He would set their land apart from Egypt? (Exodus 8: 22)  As Pharaoh looked over the plague situation, I can only image him saying, "Plague, shmague.  If they can deal with it, so can I. This is just a series of unfortunate events, it's not the work of their God. They have to endure the stench, thirst, deafening sound of croaking, personal space invasion, and the irritating itching from the lice just like everybody else!"  

As the Apostle Paul explains to Timothy, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" and "You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2: 1, 3 NKJV)  Another translation, The Voice, says it this way, "be empowered by the grace that is in Jesus, the Anointed One" and "As a good soldier of Jesus the Anointed, be ready to suffer with me."    The truth of having to suffer sometimes gets left out of messages because in all reality, who wants to hear that? But in this truth, God does sometimes call us to suffer (He's allowed to because He is the Potter and we are the clay) to showcase His glory to those who are otherwise blind to it. 

Educators all over this country are crying out.  While we should cry out to those who are supposed to help us i.e. school boards, unions, and local and state governments, our loudest and most direct cries
should be to only One who can deliver and shift the situation for the better.  Because if God promises you that He's got you, then He's got you. Periodt! 

However, this past year for me started out verifying just why I wanted to leave the profession. I had been crying out for years! It seemed to be just as with The Children of Israel, things kept getting worse although the truth of being set apart and delivered was woven in and throughout His word to me. 

I learned that God's purpose in setting us apart can be likened to an adventurous journey. He maps it with beautiful winding pathways of His grace and mercy. While at other times, straight roads lay before us in which  progression is conditional on our obedience to His word. 

As the school year began to move beyond those first three months, things began to shift. I was moved from a tiny classroom with no windows to a larger one with eight windows! Disruptions in instruction due to student behavior decreased dramatically.  Then He answered my hearts desire...He restored my joy in teaching!  Thank You Lord!  You see, the situations that cause frustration were still there.  The stresses of teaching were still there, but it didn't touch me like it was touching others because He was my shield, my protecting wall, my covering.  He had drawn a line in the sand!

So as you begin this school year, believe God for a set apart year so that He may get the glory.  Pray to Him that your attitude, your responses, your love, and even your blessings may cause others to marvel at the God you serve and thus seek to serve Him as well.  Endure what He ordains for you and wait for the line to be drawn! Pray that He would also set apart your students, your families, your school, and the surrounding community. Pray that He would set apart your city, your state, and our nation.

Here are some scriptures to meditate on if you're desiring to be set apart.

Set apart peace?  Read Philippians 4: 6-7

Set apart patience?  Read James 1: 2-4

Set apart placement? Read Psalm 16: 5-8

Set part promotion?  Read 1 Peter 5: 6-7

Have a blessed year!!!! 

The Lord is with you and you are loved,

Toni

Photo credits: 

https://www.stocksy.com/2268425/woman-tasting-sauce-with-spoon

https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/periodt/

https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/2-timothy-2-7

Guest Blogger: Stephanie Kitts - part 2

                                         PATIENCE  -part 2 of 2

The Word uses the analogy of sowing and reaping the harvest in regard to the virtue of patience.  In fact we’re in a season now that’s considered harvest for certain crops I’d like you to use that incredible imagination that God has given you to get a mental image of the setting I’m going to share. As I’m sharing this, I’d like for you to search your own memory bank for your own taste memory similar to this one . . .

When I was younger my father loved to grow fruit trees. In our backyard at different times we had red and yellow apple trees,  a pear tree,  peach trees, a pecan tree, a cherry tree (which the birds would eat before we did –the pie pans and the plastic snake in the tree didn’t help much!) a Chinese pear tree, and grape vines.  But the tree I remember the most was a peach tree in the far corner of the yard –it was greatly valued by all because it was a white peach tree.  For those of you who haven’t experienced a white peach – it’s as close to fruit heaven as you can get (Yes, there will be white peaches in heaven!)

I once heard a man share his vision of heaven and the fragrant flower he encountered there.  It smelled like a magnolia, he remembered. (Heaven must be like Georgia. . . So, I guess there must be white peaches there too!)  The flesh of this peach is a creamy white and the center is an extremely bright neon pink and the taste of it when fully ripe is so incredibly juicy and sweet you never forget it . Sometimes as kids we’d be a little hasty and you know,  just try one, fully knowing that it probably wasn’t ripe, but maybe wishing would make it so.  A peach that’s not ripe is green and hard, and not sweet or juicy at all . . .it’s extremely disappointing.   If you knew what it’s supposed to taste like you wouldn’t really want to eat this peach when it’s not ripe. (I heard a Dr. once say that eating unripe food actually produced toxins in the body!) Consider the example that you thought about .  It’s not just the visual memory that persuades you to wait – it’s the taste memory that gives you the patience to wait. It’s because you have the memory and experience of how good a ripe one is that you can wait. Because you know how good it will be. . .We each need to have a revelation of how good it will be.  We need to ask the Spirit to specifically give us a revelation of how good it is going to be- so we can wait with patience and even joy!(see Isaiah 64:4 . . . God has prepared it for those who wait,..but he’s also revealed it to us by His spirit.)

So like a kid you’re standing there looking at that peach tree. What do you do?  Go do something else.  Go play!  Don’t stand there looking at the tree!  You’ve got stuff to do!- Anyway it’s for an appointed time, an appointed season.  When the time is right God will tell you and bring you back . .and it will be ready .  When it’s ready  - you will be ready.  Dressed appropriately for the season, ready for the gift, picking the fruit that’s totally ripe – that’s totally ready.  And you’ll enjoy its fruit and thank God that you waited. 

James5:7-8 “The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth (What is the fruit he’s talking about here ? . .family members, souls)  and hath long patience for it until he receives the early and latter rain.  So be ye also patient . . establish your hearts.”

As teachers we need “long patience” and “established hearts” with many of our students.  I think about my beginning readers, and how much patience we both exercise in this process.  Just as I encourage every little effort and success made by a child, God is even more patient and encouraging toward His children and our feeble attempts at learning and doing His will. He has extreme patience with us. Therefore, we should have extreme patience for Him and respect for His plan!  

If you think, “Well, God’s not telling me enough right now.”  Realize that if He told you the exact date something was going to happen- you’d probably freak out! (You know anticipation is a very difficult emotion to live with!)  God gave me this analogy:  It’s like a parent wanting to share something incredible or wonderful with their child (Ex. a favorite movie or book -like the Wizard of Oz)  It’s a wonderful thing but the child really isn’t ready or quite old enough for it. . .they don’t have the maturity necessary to enjoy or appreciate it in all its aspects, but the parent does it anyway, and the child is terrorized!  I think it’s like this with the Lord, like a natural parent He so much wants to share the awesome things He has planned for us- the upcoming blessings and incredible experiences –(this is what prophecy is all about,) but if he shares too much –He runs the risk of freaking us out.  If He shares too little – he knows we’re wondering if he’s even aware of our situation and does he even care. It’s a rather difficult dilemma he has.

But don’t worry  . . .be patient through each season, and enjoy the journey- everything will occur in good time, . . all in good time. All you need is just a little patience.

S. Kitts © 2016

I hope you have enjoyed this message from our guest blogger Stephanie Kitts, Title I Reading Specialist in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. 

Guest Blogger: Ms. Stephanie Kitts -part 1

                                                                    PATIENCE    -part 1 of 2                                                                                                                                                                                              

Is your answer from God taking too long?

Do you have a dream or a longing you want to see fulfilled?

Do you have a promise that hasn’t come to pass yet?

 . . .  then you have need of PATIENCE.

PATIENCE – What is it? Why is it crucial? And . . .  how do you get it?

Galatians 5 :22-23  But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (or patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, (or humility), temperance (or self-control): against such there is no law.

We refer to these “fruits” as virtues that the Spirit works in our lives. Patience is a virtue just as love is a virtue, so both are necessary to develop.  In our instant society however, patience is not always seen as a virtue. The sooner the better is the way the world operates. So why should we desire to wait patiently . . Why is it so crucial?    James1:2-4 – gives us a reason  . . .

Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your

faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  

Wanting nothing . . .

                

      I once saw a little pin in a catalog   -  “Settle for more!”  That’s what James is asking us to do here. . . Settle for more.  God is promising us inner satisfaction if we forego our quick fixes.  Take a minute and ask yourself the question– “What exactly am I waiting for?  Think of the two or three issues that you need patience for.  I’m believing that God is going to give you insight as I share this word for how to develop the patience necessary for these issues, and also give you practical ideas for any actions that you are to take.

So, why do we have such a problem with patiently waiting?  Mainly, because we’re believing a bunch of lies. At a minimum, believing a lie can put a real damper on your day, but at a maximum  it could totally ruin your life. We believe lies like:

If that dream or work is going to happen at all it’s entirely dependent upon me.     - (It’s not.)    or . You can’t be really happy unless you have that person, thing or circumstance in your life right now    - (Actually, you can.)    or  . . .Your desire for that need is more important than living out God’s intended purpose and plan for your life.     -   (It isn’t.)  

If anything, in God’s economy, your destiny and purpose in life is ultimately greater than your desire for whatever . . . (fill in the blank here).  There are certain instances in the Word where this idea is apparent. Not until the person actually came into their exact position or destiny did God give them  influence, or a spouse, or divine favor, or the ability to exercise certain gifts. (Think of Joseph or Daniel.) 

Sometimes the enemy tells us . . . You know it’s totally up to you to take charge of your life and get exactly what you need to make things happen.    (It’s not- it’s up to God to take care of you and to provide what you actually need.)  He may also whisper . . .There isn’t really a divine order or timing to most things- maybe for some things but not usually, so if you  hesitate you lose out.  (Ecclesiastes says there is a time and purpose to everything under Heaven. . . not just for some things but for everything.  He may also state the ultimate lie -Waiting will ultimately result in loss   -   (It won’t.)   According to Lamentations 3:25  The Lord is good to them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.   And  Luke 8:15  But on good ground are they, which having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.

 

We have to learn to counter the lies with the Word of God.

When you feel a little impatient take a look at a few passages in the word that reflect someone’s lack of patience . . .

1)   Genesis – 11:31  (Remember, they settled there – they should have gone on but they didn’t want to wait – they ultimately settled for less. . . )

2)  Esau handing over his birthright

There are some things in life that you won’t get without extreme patience.  You might get what others might consider “good”  but you won’t get the ultimate God has for you.  Meditate a little while on James 1:2-4 “Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing.” The end result of waiting for God’s timing  will be more than you could have ever considered, asked for or imagined. I think God said that because He endowed us with incredible imaginations and yet He can surpass even that!

                                                                   -S. Kitts © 2016

This is only the first part of a two part message by Title I Reading Specialist, Stephanie Kitts, from Dinwiddie County Public Schools in Virginia.

Please log back in tomorrow for part two of her message on Patience. Until then, please enjoy our weekly song, "Wait on the Lord" by Donnie McClurkin and Karen Clark Sheard